This post contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you make a purchase through these links. See our full disclosure here.
Checked luggage has to be efficient, meaning that it should provide plenty of space for your travel essentials while remaining easy to maneuver and, ideally, under the airline’s weight restrictions.
Our picks for the best lightweight checked luggage in 2023 are robust enough to handle anything that’s thrown at them, chic enough to make you feel confident, and loaded with clever features for a breezy travel experience.
Monos Check-In Large
- Size: 30″ × 21″ × 11″
- Weight: 10.58 lb
- Volume: 99.2 L
Want a big, beautiful suitcase that will get you around the world without compromising your trip or your look? No other lightweight checked bag out there does a better job of combining style, durability, and value than the Monos Check-In Large.
Cut from aerospace-grade German polycarbonate, its sleek, streamlined silhouette is detailed with vegan leather details, color-coordinated YKK reverse coil zippers, and a scratch-resistant matte finish for good looks that last. It also features an integrated TSA-approved lock, best-in-class Hinomoto wheels that make it easy to maneuver through just about any terrain, European cobblestones included, as well as an innovative telescopic handle with a release button underneath for added convenience.
Equally well designed, the interior is lined with luxurious anti-microbial fabric and outfitted with thoughtful pockets and panels for the most efficient packing.
Travelpro Maxlite 5 26″ Medium Check-In Expandable Rollaboard
- Size: 28″ x 19″ x 11″
- Weight: 7.1 lb
- Volume: 100 L
If you’re looking for sturdy yet lightweight luggage to check, this 26-inch softside spinner is a winner.
A favorite among airline personnel, Travelpro makes some of the best fabric suitcases out there, and the Maxlite 5 Medium Check-In Expandable Rollaboard is no exception. Designed with frequent travelers in mind, this practical piece features a DuraGuard-coated polyester exterior that’s both stain-resistant and water-repellant.
Outfitted with four 360° spinning wheels and strong, thoughtful handles all around the shell, the bag is extremely easy to maneuver and keeps contents neatly organized with two roomy exterior compartments, a full-length interior lid pocket, and a handy side accessory pocket. It also expands up to 2 inches to maximize packing capacity.
YETI Crossroads 29”
- Size: 29″ x 16″ x 12.3″
- Weight: 10 lb
Constructed from YETI’s durable Tuffskin Nylon, with a hard polycarbonate back, this wheeled travel bag is ready to withstand anything that comes its way, let alone airline abuse.
Durability aside, the Crossroads 29” is packed full of practical features such as modular compression straps, packing cubes, as well as zippered pockets and gear loops throughout. At 80L, it packs a ton inside while remaining remarkably easy to maneuver thanks to its removable wheels and 2-stage telescoping handle. If there’s one ultimate checked bag for extreme adventures, this is it!
Rollink Flex 360° Medium Checked 4 Wheel Suitcase
- Size: 26.5″ x 18.7″ x 11″
- Weight: 8.5 lb
- Volume: 85 L
Good design makes a product useful, and the Rollink Flex 360° Medium Checked 4 Wheel Suitcase is a case in point. With its innovative hybrid construction, which combines a hard polycarbonate shell with a durable fabric panel into a collapsible 6″ thick body, this is the ideal check-in luggage for small-space dwellers and design-savvy adventurers.
Otherwise, it sports all the bells and whistles of the best checked luggage on the market, including a built-in TSA-approved lock, smooth double-spinner wheels, an adjustable aluminum telescopic handle, and multiple inner compartments for organized packing. Its sturdy, lightweight hard shell is scratch and water-resistant, stores up to 8 days’ worth of clothes, and comes in an array of stylish colors to match any traveler’s style.
Rockland Melbourne 28-Inch Expandable Hardside Spinner
- Size: 28″ x 17″ x 12″
- Weight: 10 lb
Having trouble finding affordable checked luggage that gets the job done? Well, here it is! At just a little over $100, the Rockland Melbourne 28-Inch Expandable Hardside Spinner boasts multi-directional double spinner wheels, an ergonomic telescoping handle, and a lightweight ABS shell in tons of fun color combinations. Better yet, it expands an extra 2 inches for additional packing capacity when needed.
Inside, there are two separate packing compartments with room for all your travel essentials, as well as tie-down straps and a mesh zip pocket for keeping them secure and neatly packed in transit.
While this may not be a particularly sturdy piece, the low price could make it the right checked bag option for infrequent, budget-conscious travelers.
Briggs & Riley ZDX 27” Medium Wheeled Duffle
- Size: 27″ x 15″ x 15″
- Weight: 8.6 lb
- Volume: 96 L
Combine the packing capacity of a duffle bag with the convenience of rolling luggage, and what you get is this fantastic piece from Briggs & Riley.
Made from ultra-resistant ballistic nylon, with reinforced, low-profile corner guards and self-repairing YKK zippers, the ZDX 27” Medium Wheeled Duffle can withstand all the rigors of travel. Its lightweight honeycomb frame folds for compact storage, and the two low-profile wheels make transporting stress-free.
The brand’s patented Outsider handle ensures more packing space and wrinkle-free clothes, and a separate PVC-lined pocket keeps dirty stuff away from the rest of the contents. Extremely durable and refreshingly large, this is a great lightweight bag to literally crisscross the globe with!
Delsey Clavel 30″ Expandable Spinner Upright
- Size: 32″ x 21″ x 13″
- Weight: 9.8 lb
- Volume: 136 L
For a lightweight checked suitcase that looks first-class, the Clavel 30″ Expandable Spinner Upright from Delsey is a strong contender.
Winner of a Red Dot Design Award, this bag is made from lightweight and durable polypropylene and has a uniquely secure zip-closing system to keep your belongings safe. It is also equipped with a TSA-accepted combination lock, silent-running, double-spinner wheels, and three carry handles for easy lifting. The expandable interior features two main packing compartments, plus a zippered mesh divider and tie-down straps to hold your clothes in place.
Hartmann Luxe II Long Journey Spinner
- Size: 30″ x 20.5″ x 12″
- Weight: 10.41 lb
Just because you’re wheeling around a bigger suitcase doesn’t mean you should ever sacrifice style!
Born in Milwaukee, USA, Hartmann has been crafting refined, high-quality luggage pieces for discerning travelers since 1877, and the Luxe II Long Journey Spinner is no different. Rendered in an elegant polyester fabric with classic trim and brushed bronze & gunmetal metal finishes, this nostalgic-looking softsided design is just as good at protecting your belongings as it is at elevating your travel look. It glides on four smooth-rolling 360-degree wheels and comes with an integrated trolley handle with multiple stops for breezy movement through the terminal.
The expandable interior has a conveniently deep main compartment with elastic cross straps for neat organization, and there is also a selection of zipped exterior sections to keep your important items handy.
Away The Medium Flex
- Size: 26″ x 18.5″ x 11″
- Weight: 10.8 lb
- Volume: 68.8 L
To a large extent, check-in suitcases for frequent travelers need to tick two boxes – durability and ease of use. With its tough polycarbonate construction, multi-stage telescoping handle, and exceptionally smooth 360-degree wheels, The Medium Flex by Away provides just that.
Lightweight, refined, and basically unbreakable, this contemporary piece of checked luggage includes all the same smart conveniences as The Medium, but, in addition, it gives travelers an extra 1.75″ of space thanks to a smart built-in zipper expansion.
Crafted from scratch-resistant matte polycarbonate in 6 chic, muted shades, this stylish, lightweight spinner includes a TSA-approved lock, thoughtful compression system, practical interior organization, and, like all models, is backed by a lifetime warranty. The beauty of this bag, though, lies in its simplicity – both in design and usage. From its lack of bells and whistles down to the clean, minimalist look, this is what the best lightweight luggage should look like!
Tumi Wheeled Double Entry Duffle Bag
- Size: 28.0″ x 14.5″ x 13.5″
- Weight: 10.7 lb
- Volume: 76 L
With a lightweight yet durable construction, multiple access points, and a constellation of handy pockets, this TUMI pick is the ideal checked duffel.
Made from the brand’s patented, ultra-durable FXT ballistic nylon with soft leather trim, this sophisticated Wheeled Double Entry Duffle Bag will have you covered for years of trips yet to come. Its meticulously organized interior holds everything in place, while stowable shoulder straps, two smooth rolling wheels, and an ergonomic aluminum telescoping handle along with top and side carry handles make for effortless mobility through the airport and down busy city streets.
